Bishop Franco Mulakkal, former head of the Catholic diocese of Jalandhar, who was arrested on Friday on the accusation of raping a nun, was denied bail by the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court, Pala, on Saturday.
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) which produced the bishop in court sought three days’ custody. But the court granted custody for two days.
He would have to be produced by 2.30 p.m. on Monday before the court.
Potency test
The police later took the bishop to the Police Club, Kottayam, and then to Kottayam Government Medical College Hospital for potency test. His interrogation is continuing at the Police Club.
Bishop Franco had complained of chest pain when he was taken to Kottayam from Kochi on Friday night and was admitted to the cardiology department of the Kottayam Government Medical College Hospital. He was under observation for over six hours.
The hospital authorities maintained that his complaints were based on his high blood pressure. The police took his custody on Saturday morning after the doctors gave him a clean chit. He was then taken to the Kottayam Police Club and by 1.15 p.m. to the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court under tight security.
The advocate for the accused had opposed the police demand for custody as the client had undergone three days’ interrogation. However, the police maintained that his presence was needed further as they had to complete certain formalities, including his potency test.
The bishop is expected to be lodged at the Police Club here in the night.
In her complaint, the nun had said that Bishop Franco had sexually exploited her multiple times from July 2014.
